Humidifier for internal-combustion engines



A. OLGAY Filed Nov. 18, 1922 ZhI en/ar Aug. 18, 1925.

HUMIDIFIER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES w m 2 Z 6 w 4 5 w s a WEE Eli i I I? Patented Aug. 18, 192 5.

UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE.

ALBERT OLGAY, F GLENELLYN, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 BAYABD TAYLOR, OF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

HUMIDIFIER FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application filed November 18, 1922. Serial No. 601,859.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT OLGAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Glenellyn, in the county of Du Page and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Humidifiers for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to internal combustion engines, and pertains more particularly to a device for supplying water vapor to the intake manifold of the engine.

Since the admission of water vapor to the fuel mixture supply manifold is not desirable, either when the engine is cold or when it is running at low speeds, my present invention is designed to permit the delivery of such water vapor only when the engine has become heated up to a predetermined temperature, and has also been speeded up to a predetermined speed. With these ends in view, my invention contem plates a control valve for the water vapor, and thermostatically actuated means controlled by the temperature of the engine cooling water for regulating the opening of said valve, and also a means controlled by the suction induced in the intake manifold for controlling the supply of water vapor thereto, in accordance with the engine speeds.

My invention also has provision for manually regulating the flow of water to the manifold, and also means for manually regulating the control which is under the influence .of the manifold suction, so that the device maybe adjusted to admit water vapor at any desired minimum engine speed.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a humidifier which will be simple in construction, economical to manufacture, easy to install, and also one which will be reliable in operation and will not readily get out of order.

Other objects and advantages of my invention should be readily appreciated, as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following description, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an internal combustion engine equipped with my invention;

v the needle valve.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the humidifier; and,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

While my invention is applicable to any type of internal combustion engine, it is shown herein, for illustrative purposes, as applied to a well known form of engine, including an intake manifold 5, an exhaust manlfold 6, and the water circulating pipes 7 and 8 of the cooling system.

The humidifier comprises generally a casmg 9, preferably of cast construction, cored to provide a water receptacle 11, which is connected by the pipes 12 and'13 with the lower and upper water circulating pipes 7 and 8, respectively. Above the water chamber the casing is provided with a valve seat 14, having annular grooves 15 and 16 formed therein. A valve 17 is 7 adapted to normally rest upon said seat, the stem 18 of the valve being extended downwardly through a guide formed by the easing, into the water chamber 11, where it is connected with one end of a thermostatic bar or element 19, attached at -1ts other end by a screw 21, or otherwise, to the roof of the chamber 11. An ad usting screw 22 is provided whereby the action of the thermostatic element may be 35 regulated. .An air intake pipe 23, preferably extended upwardly so that its intake end is disposed in proximity to the top of the engine hood, is connected with the groove 16 in the valve seat. The other groove 15 communicates through a duct 24:,

a chamber 25, and a port 26 with a recess 27 formed in the top of the water chamber, a screen 28 being disposed in this recess to prevent passage of solid particles through the port 26.

Flow of water from the chamber 11 through the port 26 and duct 24 is controlled by a needle valve 29, threaded into the chamber 25, this valve being maintained in ad- 1 usted position by a spring pressed ball or plunger 31 engaging the knurled head of The water chamber 11 is provided with a plug 32, normally closing an opening through which access 'to the chamber may be had, and is also provided with a drain cook 33.

A hollow boss 3 1, extending upwardly from the casing 9 above the valve 17, is internally threaded to receive a cylindrical 11 member 35, the bottom wall 36 of which is provided with a port 37, communicating with the space above the valve 17. A ball check valve 38 is adapted to close this port, except when lifted from its seat by suction exerted upon the interior of the cy11nder 35 from the intake manifold 5 through a pipe 39 connected at one end with said manifold, and at its other end through a coupling 41 with the interior of the cylindrical member 35. The upper end of the cylindrical member 35 is closed by a plug 42 which is tapped to receive an ad'usting screw 43, between the lower end of W ich and the ball valve 38 a coiled expansionspring 44 is interposed.

The humidifier may be mounted in any suitable manner, but in Fig. 3 it is shown as provided on one side with a laterally extending tapped boss 45 adapted to receive the threaded end of a bolt 46 by which the humidifier is supported. The thermostatic element 19 is made of two plies of metal having different coefficients of expansion, so that as the temperature of the element varies, it will curve or bend in one direction or the other as the result of the differences in the expansion or contraction of the metals of which the element is composed. This element, being disposed in the water chamber 11, is subjected to the temperature of the water therein, and when the engine is cold, the thermostatic element will hold the valve 17 in closed position, as shown in Fig. 2. Under these conditions, neither air nor water will be delivered to the manifold through the ipe 39.

hen the engine, and consequently the cooling water, warms up, the thermostatic element will bend upwardly, thereby lifting the valve 17 from its seat so as to permit an inflow of air through the pipe 23, and a flow of water, the amount of which will be regulated by the needle valve 29, through the duct 14. If at this time the engine speed is sufliciently high to lift the ball valve 38 from its seat, the inflowing air and water will be thoroughly commingled and the water will be vaporized by the air which flows upwardly around the valve 17 from the groove 16, so that a mixture of air and water forming a vapor will be drawn through the port 37 and delivered through the pipe 39 to the intake manifold 5. Should the speed of the engine be reduced, so that the suction exerted through the pipe 39 will be insufficient to raise the valve 38 from its seat, the supply of vapor will be cut off by this valve, and the minimum speed at which vapor will be delivered may be regulated by adjustment of the regulating screw 43. g

It will be apparent, therefore, that my improved humidifier will deliver a water vapor to the intake manifold of the engine in regulated amounts, but only when the engine has been warmed up to a predetermined temperature, and 'is running above a predetermined speed. At high speeds and low engine temperature the flowof vapor will be precluded by the valve 17, and at high temperature but low engine speeds the flow will be prevented by the valve 38.

The structural details illustrated and described are obviously capable of wide variation' without exceeding the scope of the invention, as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. An humidifier for internal combustion engines comprising, a casing, chambers therein, one of said chambers adapted to be connected to the cooling system of the engine and having a bi-metallic thermally responsive element therein, another of said chambers having a passage connecting with the first said chamber, an air inlet in the second said chamber and means connected to said element to open and close said passage and inlet simultaneously.

2. A humidifier for internal combustion engines comprising a casing provided with a water chamber, a valve seat provided with a plurality of grooves, an air supply pipe connected with one of said grooves, a water passage establishing communication between the other groove and said water chamber, a valve adapted to rest upon said seat, a thermostatic element disposed in said chamber and connected. with said valve, means for adjusting said element, a pipe establishing communication between the intake manifold of said engine and the space above said valve, and suction controlled means for regulating the flow of water vapor through said 1 e. p A humidifier for internal combustion engines comprising a casing provided with a water chamber, a valve seat provided with a pair of annular grooves, an air intake pipe connected with the lower groove, a-passage establishing communication between the upper of said grooves and said water chamber, a needle valve controlling said passage, a valve adapted to close against said seat, a thermostatic bar mounted in said water chamber and connected with said valve, a pipe establishing communication between the intake manifold of said engine and the space above said valve, a check valve for controlling the flow through said pipe, and means for manually adjusting said check valve.

4. A humidifier for internal combustion engines comprising a casing provided with a water chamber, a valve seat above said chamber, a passage leading from said chamber to said seat, a needle valve for controlling said passage, an air supply pipe com municating with said seat, a valve adapted to close against said seat, a thermost in said water chamber connected with said valve means for adjusting said thermostat, a port passage establis above the valve, a ball valve closing said port, a pipe connecting the space above said port with the intake manifold of the engine, a spring for urging said ball valve against "its seat, and an adjusting screw for regulat ing the tension of said spring.

5. A humidifier for gas engines com rising a casing provided with a water 0 amher, a valve seat above said chamber provided with a pair of annular grooves', a

'ng communication between one of said grooves and said chamber, an air supply pipe connected with the other of 

